Area's air quality continues to improve

Today, after two decades of air-quality improvements and education, central Ohio's air is in good shape, an 11-page report released last week shows.

"It's a real clear and strong signal that things are getting better," Brooke White said of the study. She is the air-quality coordinator for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, which issues daily air-quality forecasts and alerts about unhealthy air.

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MORPC produced the report, which covered air quality from November 2016 through October 2017 and focused only on particle pollution — pollutants from diesel trucks, wood-burning fireplaces, buses and power plants — and ground-level ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog.

In 1998 and 1999, the report notes, central Ohio air wasn't as breathable. In each of those years, there were 68 days when ground-level ozone was almost 70 parts per billion. Those numbers, though, began declining after that. Last year, it was two days — and it was that high thanks to Mother Nature hundreds of miles away.

Central Ohio's worst breathing days in the year studied were Sept. 5, 2017, when winds blew smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest over central Ohio, and Nov. 8, 2016, when smoke from fires in the Great Smoky Mountains dirtied our air. Those were the only two days when the area reached the official "unhealthy for sensitive group" levels, when smog levels exceed 100 parts per billion.

Cleaner air is important, White stressed, especially for the young, the elderly and those with respiratory issues. She noted that Franklin County has about 21,000 children and 97,000 adults with asthma.

Air quality, White said, "involves almost every aspect of our lives."

Kerry Ard, a professor at Ohio State University's school of environment and natural resources, agreed, adding that it affects more than respiratory, cardiovascular and other health issues.

Poor air quality "strains the health-care system, keeps people home from work and school, and often negatively impacts household finances," Ard said. "A healthier population means healthier consumers and workers, which means a more vibrant economy."

That's partly because businesses or industries doing business in central Ohio don't have to worry about restrictions that come with having to deal with unhealthy air, said Nick Gill, assistant director of MORPC's transportation department.

"If you're in violation of standards, there are actions that have to be taken," Gill said.

There could be restrictions on products sold, equipment that could create pollution and how businesses spend money solving transportation problems. Transportation and vehicle emissions are the biggest driver in determining air quality, White said.

"It's an important selling point for the region," Gill said. "Our region can grow without that worry."

kperry@dispatch.com

@kimballperry

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